It looks like you're enjoying The BBQ Brethren's Forums but haven't created an account yet. Why not take a minute to register for your own free account now? As a member you get free access to all of our forums and posts plus the ability to post your own messages, communicate directly with other members, and much more. Register now!

Already a member? Login at the top of this page to stop seeing this message.

I have tried cutting spareribs to square off, I usually have trouble figuring out where to cut. Butchered (no pun intended) my first few. I guess leaving some of the cartilage on the smaller bones will keep it square. Or maybe just cook the whole slab and cut it all up later. Or cut off the smaller bones completely.

Yeah... it's not too hard. Leaving a little cartlidge on the ends of the smaller ones isn't too bad.

1. Trim the flap of meat off the bone side
2. Feel along the middle of the slab length-wise and locate the end of the bone and the begining of the cartlidge.
3. Using a SHARP knife, with your finger tips on the junction of bone and cartlidge, lay the flat of the blade against your fingers and draw the knife along the juncture.

A good sharp knife will take the rib tips right off. A little practice and you'll be able to do an entire slab - membrane and all - in less than 30 seconds.

Not to hijack the thread too much...But does anyone do anything special with the trimmings? I usually end up throwing everything on the smoker and just kind of pick at the trimmings as i go along (it's still pork afterall), but it's really nothing I'd ever serve to anyone. A lot of that meat(and fat, cartilage etc) just gets thrown out when all is said and done. Is there something else that I should be doing?

Not to hijack the thread too much...But does anyone do anything special with the trimmings? I usually end up throwing everything on the smoker and just kind of pick at the trimmings as i go along (it's still pork afterall), but it's really nothing I'd ever serve to anyone. A lot of that meat(and fat, cartilage etc) just gets thrown out when all is said and done. Is there something else that I should be doing?

OK thanks that makes sense. Now how exactly do I make rib tips and cook those??

It depends. Do you like rib tips as much as ribs?

If yes, then season and cook them just like you would the ribs. I usually cook my SLC ribs for five hours-ish, which I have usually found is too much for rib tips. I will either put the tips in 90 minutes after I put in the ribs, so that I can serve them at the same time. Or, I'll put them in at the same time, and pull them out 90 minutes early and serve them as an appetizer.

If you are like me and like ribs better than rib tips, you can turn them into something different altogether. This is what I like to do. It's a bit unorthodox, but hey, so am I.

1. Chop the rib tips into 1-rib sections. Cover them with rub.
2. Put a bit of oil in a cast iron pot. Sear the rib tips, either on the stove, or above the coals on your smoker.
3. Throw in whatever spices you want in with the rib tips; I prefer to have them as naked as possible.
4. Submerge the rib tips in liquid. I use a mix of vinegar, water and hot pepper.
5. Bring the liquid to a boil, then place it underneath the ribs that you have cooking. Don't cover the pot!
6. Close the smoker and grab a beer.

At first, the liquid will braise the rib tips. Eventually when the liquid evaporates, the smoke will seep in and start to dry cook them. Finally, the combination of the rendered fat from the tips and the dripping fat from the ribs will begin to fry the rib tips.

After about 3 hours, they're ready to go. You can either pull the meat off the bones and have mini-carnitas. Or, you can serve them as is: deep-fried, smoke-kissed, tender little nuggets of deliciousness.

__________________
Three things I love: Barbecue, Baseball and Spreadsheets. Oh, and Mrs. Brimhack.

I cook the tips the same way and at the same time I cook the ribs but pull 'em after 3.5 or 4 hours instead of letting them go the full 5.5 to 6 hours I cook the ribs for. I usually nosh on them a little bit during the cook, but mostly, I'll cut up the meat to use in other dishes.

Specifically, I use rib tips in chili, beans, enchiladas, tacos and as a topper for my own brand of cobb salad.